Blue

Often associated with The strongest of the neutral sadness in the English colors. On the positive side, language. Blue is also Color creates its commonly associated used extensively to with power, elegance, and energy, energy represent calmness formality.On the negative and responsibility. creates inspiration side, it can be associated Light blues can and inspiration creates with evil, death, and be refreshing and mystery. Black is the change. friendly. Dark blues traditional color of mourning are more strong and -Ricky Lee Gordon in many Western countries. Its reliable. also associated with rebellion in Blue is also associated some cultures, and is associated with with peace, and has spiritual Halloween and the occult. and religious connotations in many cultures and traditions (for example, In design, black is commonly the Virgin Mary is generally depicted used for typography and other wearing blue robes).The meaning of functional parts, because of its blue is widely affected depending on neutrality. Black can make it easier to the exact shade and hue. In design, convey a sense of sophistication and the exact shade of blue you select mystery in a design. It can either be will have a huge impact on how conservative or modern, traditional your designs are perceived. Light or unconventional, depending on the blues are often relaxed and calming. colors its combined with. Bright blues can be energizing and refreshing. Dark blues are excellent White for corporate sites or designs where Opposite end of the spectrum from strength and reliability are important. black, but like black, it can work well with just about any other color. Purple White is often associated with purity, Long associated with royalty. Its cleanliness, and virtue. In the West, a combination of red and blue, and white is commonly worn by brides on takes on some attributes of both. their wedding day. Its also associated Its associated with creativity and with the health care industry, imagination, too. especially with doctors, nurses and In Thailand, purple is the color of dentists. White is associated with mourning for widows. Dark purples goodness, and angels are often are traditionally associated with depicted in white. wealth and royalty, while lighter In design, white is generally purples (like lavendar) are considered considered a neutral backdrop that more romantic. lets other colors in a design have a In design, dark purples can give larger voice. It can help to convey a sense wealth and luxury. Light cleanliness and simplicity, though, purples are softer and are associated and is popular in minimalist designs. with spring and romance. White in designs can also portray either winter or summer, depending on the other design motifs and colors that surround it.

Black

corporate designs, where formality and professionalism are key. It can be a very sophisticated color. Pure grays are shades of black, though other grays may have blue or brown hues mixed in. In design, gray backgrounds are very common, as is gray typography.

Brown

Associated with the earth, wood, and stone. Its a completely natural color and a warm neutral. Brown can be associated with dependability and reliability, with steadfastness, and with earthiness. It can also be considered dull. In design, brown is commonly used as a background color. Its also seen in wood textures and sometimes in stone textures. It helps bring a feeling of warmth and wholesomeness to designs. Its sometimes used in its darkest forms as a replacement for black, either in backgrounds or typography.

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In Brief....
While the information contained here might seem just a bit overwhelming, color theory is as much about the feeling a particular shade evokes than anything else. But heres a quick reference guide for the common meanings of the colors discussed above:
Red: Passion, Love, Anger Orange: Energy, Happiness, Vitality Yellow: Happiness, Hope, Deceit Green: New Beginnings, Abundance,
Nature

e olor wo rld theory ar encompasses ou nd a multitude of us definitions, concepts and design applications - enough to fill several encyclopedias.

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Neutral Colors

Gray

eutral colors often serve as the backdrop in design. Theyre commonly combined with brighter accent colors. But they can also be used on their own in designs, and can create very sophisticated layouts. The meanings and impressions of neutral colors are much more affected by the colors that surround them than are warm and cool colors.

Generally considered on the cool end of the color spectrum. It can sometimes be considered moody or depressing. Light grays can be used in place of white in some designs, and dark grays can be used in place of black. Gray is generally conservative and formal, but can also be modern. It is sometimes considered a color of mourning. Its commonly used in

Blue: Calm, Responsible, Sadness Purple: Creativity, Royalty, Wealth Black: Mystery, Elegance, Evil Gray: Moody, Conservative, Formality Brown: Nature, Wholesomeness,
Dependability

However, there are three basic categories of color theory that are logical and useful : The color wheel, color harmony, and the context of how colors are used. Color theories create a logical structure for color. For example, if we have an assortment of fruits and vegetables, we can organize them by color and place them on a circle that shows the colors in relation to each other.

White: Purity, Cleanliness, Virtue

The Color Wheel

color circle, based on red, yellow and blue, is traditional in the field of art. Sir Isaac Newton developed the first circular diagram of colors in 1666. Since then, scientists and artists have studied and designed numerous variations of this concept. Differences of opinion about the validity of one format over another continue to provoke debate. In reality, any color circle or color wheel which presents a logically arranged sequence of pure hues has merit.

These are the colors formed by mixing a primary and a secondary color. Thats why the hue is a two word name, such as blue-green, redviolet, and yellow-orange

are called color harmonies and they consist of two or more colors with a fixed relation in the color wheel. Some of the basic formulas follow.

Tints, Shades & Tones

olors can be altered in three ways by Tinting, Shading or Toning. (And thats before we even think about mixing two colors together, and then tinting, shading and toning those combinations!)

Monochromatic Colors:
onochromatic color scheme uses variations (tints, tones and shades) of a single hue. Monochromatic colors schemes are easy to manage, and always looks balanced and visually appealing producing a soothing effect. This is a good choice when you are aiming for a clean and elegant look. The primary color can be integrated with neutral colors such as black, white which are often the key to creating the contrast that a monochromatic color scheme can lack.

Color Symbolism

Tints:

A Tint is sometimes called a pastel. Basically its simply any color with white added. When you add white red for instance the resulting color is pink. A color scheme using Tints is usually soft and soothing and works well for feminine and baby themes.

Shades:

Primary, Tones: Secondary & A Tone is created by adding both Tertiary Colors white and black which is grey. Almost
Primary:
Red, yellow and blue In traditional color theory (used in paint and pigments), primary colors are the 3 pigment colors that can not be mixed or formed by any combination of other colors. All other colors are derived from these 3 hues. every color we see in our day-to-day world has been toned either a little or a lot. Tones are more complex, subtle and sophisticated and often more pleasing to the eye

A Shade is simply any color with black added. When black is added to blue for instance the result would be a navy blue color. A color scheme using Shades is often deep, rich and powerful making them good choices for masculine designs and for adding contrast.

Analogous Colors:
nalogous colors are any three colors which are side by side on a 12 part color wheel, such as yellowgreen, yellow, and yellow-orange. One color is used as a dominant color while others are used to enrich the scheme. The analogous scheme is similar to the monochromatic one, but offers more nuances.

(think of the red carpet at awards shows and celebrity events). Red also indicates danger (the reason stop lights and signs are red, and that most olor in design is very subjective. warning labels are red). What evokes one reaction Outside the western world, red in one person may evoke has different associations. For a very different reaction example, in China, red is in someone else. The chief function the color of prosperity and Sometimes this is due It can also be of color should be to happiness. to personal preference, used to attract good luck. serve expression. In other eastern cultures, and other times due to cultural background. red is worn by brides on - Henri Matisse Color theory is a science their wedding days. In in itself. Studying how South Africa, however, red is colors affect different people, the color of mourning. Red is also either individually or as a group, is associated with communism. Red something some people build their has become the color associated with careers on. And theres a lot to it. AIDS awareness in Africa due to the Something as simple as changing popularity of the [RED] campaign. the exact hue or saturation of In design, red can be a powerful a color can evoke a completely accent color. It can have an different feeling. overwhelming effect if its used too Cultural differences mean much in designs, especially in its that something thats happy and purest form. Its a great color to use uplifting in one country can be when power or passion want to be depressing in another. portrayed in the design. Red can be very versatile, though, with brighter versions being more energetic and darker shades being more powerful and elegant.

In some countries, yellow has very different connotations. In Egypt, for example, yellow is for mourning. In Japan, it represents courage, and in India its a color for merchants. In your designs, bright yellow can lend a sense of happiness and cheerfulness. Softer yellows are commonly used as a gender-neutral color for babies (rather than blue or pink) and young children. Light yellows also give a more calm feeling of happiness than bright yellows. Dark yellows and gold-hued yellows can sometimes look antique and be used in designs where a sense of permanence is desired.

Cool Colors

Warm Colors

Orange

Secondary:

Color Harmony
n color and design, harmony is something that is pleasing to the eye and engages the viewer. Harmony can be thought of as just right while the extremes on either side of it are boring or chaotic. The human brain tends to reject extremes. Color harmony delivers visual interest and a sense of order. Traditionally, there are a number of color combinations that are considered especially pleasing. These

Green, orange and purple These are the colors formed by mixing the primary colors.

Complementary Colors:
omplementary colors are any two colors which are directly opposite each other, such as blue and orange or red-purple and yellow-green. The complementary scheme is intrinsically high-contrast and it works best when you choose a dominant color and use its complementary color to highlight important elements. By doing this you will get color dominance combined with sharp color contrast.

arm colors include red, orange, and yellow, and variations of those three colors. These are the colors of fire,of fall leaves, and of sunsets and sunrises, and are generally energizing, passionate, and positive. Red and yellow are both primary colors, with orange falling in the middle, which means warm colors are all truly warm and arent created by combining a warm color with a cool color. Use warm colors in your designs to reflect passion, happiness, enthusiasm, and energy.

A very vibrant and energetic color. In its muted forms, it can be associated withthe earth and with autumn. Because of its association with the changing seasons, orange can represent change and movement in general. Because orange is associated with the fruit of the same name, it can be associated with health and vitality. In designs, orange commands attention without being as overpowering as red. Its often considered more friendly and inviting, and less in-your-face.

ool colors include green, blue, and purple, are often more subdued than warm colors. They are the colors of night, of water, of nature, and are usually calming, relaxing, and somewhat reserved. Blue is the only primary color within the cool spectrum, which means the other colors are created by combining blue with a warm color (yellow for green and red for purple). Greens take on some of the attributes of yellow, and purple takes on some of the attributes of red. Use cool colors in your designs to give a sense of calm or professionalism.

Green

Red

Yellow

Tertiary:

Yellow-orange, red-orange, redpurple, blue-purple, blue-green & yellow-green

A very hot color. Its associated with fire, violence, and warfare. Its also associated with love and passion. In history, its been associated with both the Devil and Cupid. Red can actually have a physical effect on people, raising blood pressure and respiration rates. Its been shown to enhance human metabolism, too. Red can be associated with anger, but is also associated with importance

Often considered the brightest and most energizing of the warm colors. Its associated with happiness and sunshine. Yellow can also be associated with deceit and cowardice, though (calling someone yellow is calling them a coward). Yellow is also associated with hope, as can be seen in some countries when yellow ribbons are displayed by families who have loved ones at war. Yellow is also associated with danger, though not as strongly as red.

Very down-to-earth color. It can represent new beginnings and growth. It also signifies renewal and abundance. Alternatively, green can also represent envy or jealousy, and a lack of experience. Green has many of the same calming attributes that blue has, but it also incorporates some of the energy of yellow. In design, green can have a balancing and harmonizing effect, and is very stable. Its appropriate for designs related to wealth, stability, renewal, and nature. Brighter greens are more energizing and vibrant, while olive greens are more representative of the natural world. Dark greens are the most stable and representative of affluence.